


Aera's Beginning

by sylphiawings



Series: The Life and Times of Aera Sylvarant [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen, Minor Original Character(s), Origin Story, POV Original Character, Post-Patch 5.0: Shadowbringers, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:35:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25180234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylphiawings/pseuds/sylphiawings
Summary: The small snippets of Aera Sylvarant's beginning, from being a humble Sharlayan scholar to the famed Warrior of Light - and the stories in-between.
Series: The Life and Times of Aera Sylvarant [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906948





	Aera's Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Some very minor spoilers for all expansions released up until Shadowbringers (5.0). This is the origin story for my WoL, Aera Sylvarant.

  


* * *

  


**__**

#### PRESENT (Year 1577 of the Eorzean Calendar)

**__**

Ul'dah. That was the name of the city that loomed in the distance, slowly but surely.

At least, that's what the traveling merchant told her. His big kind grin and booming voice made it hard for Aera Sylvarant to not take a liking to him. He was a tall Hyur, but unassuming. Aera was surprised when he agreed to take her in for the remainder of her journey. She figured a merchant like him would be more cautious of strangers, given his profession; however, he asked no questions when she requested to join him through his journey to the nearest city-state. She had visited a town in the outskirts of Little Ala Mhigo soon after departing from the boat that took her from Sharlayan, but as a sixteen-year-old that have never seen the world before this, she was hopelessly lost. Or at least she thought.

She tried to remember how long she was on that boat, but her mind was drawing a blank. There were things that she knew, but shouldn't. For instance, when she docked on the port in the continent of Aldenard, she knew the names of the taverns and the surrounding villages. Her subsconcious immediately knew which places sold the cheapest lodgings. How could she know that, if this was her first time in Eorzea? Had she somehow been here before, but her memories somehow... wiped?

"So what brings you to Ul'dah, little lady?" he had said when she paid him gil to seek passage on his caravan. Aera took a moment to think.

"To visit a new world," she had said. Indeed, that was why she left Sharlayan in the first place.

The traveling merchant grinned. "I suppose here is more novel than Sharlayan," he said, noticing the markings of a Sharlayan scholar on her face. "Welcome to Eorzea, child."

Aera smiled and nodded as she shook his hand. She too, was a Hyur, but she was pretty short for her age. She barely reached the merchant's chest in height.

Holding her Conjurer's cane close to her chest, she entered the caravan, following the merchant. She was surprised to see that there were already occupants inside; twins, it seems, with bright white hair tied behind their backs, and scholar books close to their hips. They seemed around her age, and they had Sharlayan markings on their neck. Aera did a double-take - she wasn't expecting people from her land here, so far away from home.

The two seemed oddly familiar, but Aera let it go. She didn't want to suddenly strike up conversation with virtual strangers, even if they were from Sharlayan. (Though, because they were from Sharlayan, she hesitated. Sharlayan was notorious for being bystanders through and through, even with all the knowledge of their scholars. Those that leave their homeland, scholars no less, are not seen favorably by their own. Aera and these two twins were probably no exception.)

The caravan bumped against the bridge in the road, and Aera looked out, noticing Ul'dah getting closer and closer. She breathed in, the anticipation making her nerves tingle. What journey awaits her here, she wondered?

  


* * *

  


**__**

#### SIX YEARS AGO (Year 1571 of the Eorzean Calendar)

**__**

Aera breathed in and out as she looked out onto the Sharlayan port. She clutched her Conjurer's cane close to her chest. This is it, she thought. She was finally sixteen, finally ready to leave and venture the world. Finally ready to find out the answers she had been seeking all her life - what was it like out there? Where were her parents?

A small tug from behind her snapped her out of her reverie. She looked down, and the young ten-year-old twins of the Leveilleur family gazed up at her with watery, pleading eyes.

"Are you really leaving, Aera?" Alphinaud asked, biting his lip. He wiped his snot from his nose.

"Of course she is," Alisaie huffed, though her eyes betrayed her sadness. The girl gripped Aera's traveling cloak tighter, as if that would stop her from leaving.

Aera's heart clenched. The Sylvarant family had always been close to the Leveilleurs, and their children often studied and played together. Despite their six-year age difference, Aera found the twins incredibly bright and easy to talk to. Louisoix Leveilleur, the famous Archon himself, had taken her in when her parents had disappeared two years prior. Alphinaud and Alisaie were basically family. Which is why, leaving was incredibly difficult. But she knew she had to, for the sake of her parents, and herself.

"I'll say hi to your grandfather for you once I arrive at Eorzea, I promise," Aera smiled as she knelt and patted the twins' heads. Louisoix had left for Eorzea a few years prior, foreseeing a Calamity coming and bringing in a new Umbral Era through the Divine Chronicles. Aera was still bitter that the majority of the Sharlayan Forum had scorned his decision to leave. Louisoix was her hero through and through, and she thought his decision correct, difficult as it may be.

She thought of the invitation letter crumpled in her pocket from him. Though it was addressed to her from the Circle of Knowing, Aera could recognize his script anywhere. He was half the reason why she decided to leave, as well. Louisoix seemed to think that her special "power" - the Echo - was instrumental in stopping the Calamity. Though she was skeptical, she decided to go along with it anyway. Any reason to leave and find the answers she was looking for was reason enough.

"Tell grandfather that he's an idiot," Alisaie stomped her foot.

"Alisaie!" Alphinaud reprimanded her.

Aera snorted. She patted her head. "I hope one day you find it in your heart to understand your grandfather's actions," she said.

Before Alisaie could retort, the telltale blaring horn from the ship resounded throughout the port, signaling her that it was time to go.

Dawning recognition in the twins' eyes, they reluctantly let go of Aera's cloak as she stood up and hauled her pack, ready to go.

"When you're older, you can come and follow me and your grandfather," Aera smiled, giving the twins one last pat before she started walking away.

Later, from the boat, she could see the twins on the edge of the pier, holding hands and staring unflinchingly towards her. She couldn't wait to see them once they were older and wiser.

  


* * *

  


**__**

#### FIVE YEARS AGO (Year 1572 of the Eorzean Calendar)

**__**

When Aera stood in front of the barracks of the Immortal Flames, she tried not to let her apprehension show on her face.

Soldiers from the Immortal Flames and adventurers from Free Companies alike were clamoring outside the area, gearing up with weapons and discussing strategies with fellow Grand Company Alliances; the Twin Adders and the Maelstrom. Shouts were heard over the sea of yellow, black and red. Aera's own Free Company, the Lunar Consortium, was among the hubbub of people.

Of course, in preparation to secure the summoning circle in the middle of Carteneau Flats, right under the second moon Dalamud's descent, this much chaos was warranted. Even more so with the Warrior of Light and her friends.

"We need you, Warrior of Light," Louisoix had said to her before the big day. "Garlemald approaches us with every minute. Dalamud grows closer every second. Nael may be gone, but we must stop Project Meteor, and we cannot do it without you."

Aera gave her mentor and father surrogate a grim smile. "You know, when you asked me to come to Eorzea a year ago, this was not what I had in mind."

Louisoix returned her smile somberly. "Forgive me, child. I never wanted hardships upon you. You know that. But if I had any other choice... if any of us did..."

Aera had given him a pat on the back before teleporting here to Ul'dah, where she would meet her Free Company friends. No more words were needed. The two were needed elsewhere on the impending battlefield. When this was all over, they had much to talk about.

"Hey!" one of her friends from the Lunar Consortium patted her on the back, snapping her out of her reverie. A large Au Ra by the name of Kaihue Agual, he had his Scholar's book ready in hand. Flanking him was the rest of the members of her Free Company, all with varying faces of stress and thrumming excitement. "You good, Warrior of Light?" he grinned.

Aera took a deep breath. "I told you not to call me that," she reminded him.

"Why not?" he shrugged. "That's who you are. That's why we're here, all ready for battle."

The Elezen Dragoon behind him, Octavia Hastati, grumbled. "We wouldn't be here otherwise, little child," she patted Aera's head. "Shall we go?"

Aera looked around her. The Lunar Consortium was a ragtag bunch of adventurers from around the realm, and they had accepted Aera with open arms, around a month after she arrived from Sharlayan. There were six of them in total, and they would all be accompanying her to the heart of the battle. When the Circle of Knowing had asked her whether she would need help securing the summoning circle, the Lunar Consortium was her first choice. Louisoix wanted her to be with a more "elite" set of guards, but Aera refused. There were none others she trusted more with her life. She only hoped that she wasn't leading them to their death.

Kaihue pointed towards the barracks. The General of the Immortal Flames, Raubahn, was beckoning their group forward. Aera gulped. It was time to go.

"Alright," she breathed, readying her White Mage cane. "You all ready?"

"Ready as we'll ever be," Octavia said. The others nodded with her in agreement.

They walked towards Raubahn with grim determination on their faces.

  


* * *

  


**__**

#### ONE YEAR LATER (Year 1578 of the Eorzean Calendar)

**__**

Aera Sylvarant stood in front of the dusty, dilapidated old Free Company housing in the Goblet.

It had once belonged to the Lunar Consortium, but after five-six years of being uninhabited, it was in a state of disrepair. The chocobo stables were dirty. The garden plots were full of weeds. The outdoor bathing pool was filled with dead leaves and swamp mold.

The housing plaque outside the door still bore their name. _The Lunar Consortium, led by Kaihue Agual. Everyone is welcome!_

When Aera stepped through the threshold, she had to fight back the tears. The place may be old and creaking, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Everyone who had been here was no longer. Out of everyone who had fought in Carteneau Flats that day, the only one who survived was her.

She had remembered the events of the Fall of Dalamud far too late. Only after she had fought the Ultima Weapon, only after she had fled Ul'dah after being framed as a murderer, only after the end of the Dragonsong war, had she the time to visit her old home.

They fought bravely that day. The six of them had managed to secure the summoning circle in the middle of Carteneau Flats, surrounded by enemies, and above them, Dalamud descending like the end of the world. Bloodied, battered, and bruised, they waited for the summoning with the Circle of Knowing and fought for Eorzea. Unfortunately, when the Elder Primal Bahamut broke free of his prison, the ensuing Teraflare killed almost all of them.

The only reason Aera didn't join them in death was because of her gods-damned Echo. The blessing of Hydaelyn. The Warrior of Light.

When Louisoix gave up his life to fling her five years into the future, she had already despaired. Now the death of her mentor was on her conscience too.

Aera opened the door into the foyer of the small housing plot. The creak was far too loud and empty. She was surprised to see that most of their belongings were still intact, albeit dusty from neglect. The shelves still housed most of their trophies and books. The aetherial wheel was still shining in the corner, dimly lit as it was. When she walked downstairs, the couches, stage and the kitchen was intact. Aera let out a cough from all the dust.

She remembered the kitchen, where they used to cook - or blow up - all sorts of weird concoctions, until one of them decided to be a culinarian to "improve their lifestyle", as he said. She remembered the birthdays that were celebrated on that stage. She remembered the days where they would take turns with the bathing pool outside, teasing and yelling at each other's swimwear.

So many memories here with her friends, and she had led them all to their death. This was on her.

The realization made her break down in tears. She clutched her heart and sank to the floor, crying her heart out.

If only she had been tougher. Faster. Stronger.

What good is the Warrior of Light, if you couldn't save the ones you cared about?

  


* * *

  


When Aera exited the old Free Company house hours later, her eyes were rimmed red and her face swollen from tears.

She let out a choke when she noticed someone standing near the gate, reading the housing plaque. Her first instinct was to grab her Machinist pistol. Who would be here, near an old building? Were they her enemies?

Before she could answer that, a red-haired Mi'qote peeked into the gate, her ears and tail raised curiously.

"Hi there," she said cheerfully.

Aera still had a hand on her pistol, finger hovering over the trigger, wary. "Hi," she said apprehensively.

The Mi'qote gazed at her hand, weapon at the ready, and she did a double-take. "I'm not here to hurt you!" she raised her hands as a gesture of peace. "I saw someone walk into this old house, and I was wondering... maybe the owners came back." The red lady took a moment. "I used to live around here, you see, and sometimes I walk past here every other month. Way back when, I remembered how rowdy this place used to be. It always looked like so much fun. But it's been quiet for years now. So I thought, since I saw you come in, maybe-"

She stopped short when she noticed Aera's face, red and swollen. Aera hastily put her weapon down and hid her face, embarrassed to be seen in such a state.

"Oh, sweetie," she stepped forward slowly. "Are you okay?"

Aera sniffled and said nothing. Her shoulders sagged. She was glad this lady wasn't a threat, but her head and body was tired. She was so tired. She just wanted some rest.

"... Do you want some tea and cookies at my place?" The lady offered. "I find that food is good for improving your mood."

Aera hesitated. She eyed this lady from head to toe. She didn't exactly have the best memories in terms of accepting offered drinks that seemed harmless.

The red lady took a moment before she reached into her pockets and let out a bag of biscuits. "Here," she said. When Aera didn't move, the lady took one biscuit and popped it into her mouth. A few seconds of munching, and she smiled with a face full of crumbs. "See? No harm."

Slowly, Aera took a biscuit and a bite. Instantly, she felt her emotions slightly lifting. Aera let out a small, sad smile.

"My name is Akai," the lady said. She pointed down the hill into the distance, where a large house stood near the edge of a waterfall. "That's my Free Company house. We have lots of nice food, and if you want to rest for a bit, you're more than welcome. What do you say? It's probably better than staying here."

Aera took a moment.

"Thank you," she said with a small voice. "I'll come with you."

The Mi'qote, Akai, smiled as bright as the sun as she guided her down to her Free Company house, chattering all the way.

  


* * *

  


**__**

#### 4 YEARS LATER (Year 1581 of the Eorzean Calendar)

**__**

"So you... You visited another world?" Kaida Akito stared at her in disbelief.

"Yep," Aera Sylvarant said, sipping her tea.

"Yep," Akai Flora said, sipping her tea as well. The red-haired Mi'qote had heard this story before, so she wasn't as surprised as their fellow friend, who sat there gaping at them like they've grown two heads each.

Kaida set down his coffee. "Bollocks," he swore.

"Kaida!" Akai warned him. She wasn't always fond of swearing in the Floral Faith Free Company, and their fellow leaders were no exception.

"I mean, come on," he said, arms out. "Even if you are the Warrior of Light, Aera, surely that kind of thing is beyond my comprehension." Kaida crossed his hands. "'Other shards'? 'Warrior of Darkness'? This all seems so..."

"Outlandish," Aera finished for him.

"Unbelievable," Akai chimed in.

Kaida frowned at them. They were sitting at the tea table in their front yard, sipping tea (or coffee, in Kaida's case) in the lovely afternoon. In the distance, the other members of their Free Company were busy crowding the marketboard, some with their crafting gear pulled out. The telltale ding and clank of the crafters were hard to miss. The chocobos in the stable were chirping and kweh-ing as one of their members fed them Krakka Roots. There was never a quiet day in the Floral Faith Free Company, though Aera was used to the rowdiness.

It's been almost three years since she officially joined Floral Faith, and although they have come a long way from their old house in the Goblet, their house in Shirogane was just as much as home as it always was. For better and worse, Floral Faith was her new home. She had been through some tough and happy times together with them throughout the years, and she found that she would not trade this home for anything.

She hoped that her old friends in the Lunar Consortium would be proud of her now, looking after her from above.

"Tell the story again, and slowly," Kaida stared at them.

Aera looked at Akai, a playful smile on their faces. "Oookay," Aera shrugged. "Just don't make me repeat it again."  


  


* * *

  


**Author's Note:**

> I assumed that each expansion = one year, including the Legacy timeline. I drew some pictures to go along with the story. If you want to see, look over at this [link](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XOUA_aqa1L1qMJKsdlcY3nXGfZGVmbCr/view?usp=sharing)! (It includes the whole story as well.)


End file.
